After mischievous faeries grant a wish carelessly spoken aloud by Catriona’s brother, Catriona is granted admission to Floodbane Academy, a traditionally all-male school. Eager to leave her stifling home, Catriona moves in with five other female students who have also been newly accepted, and the six commit to their studies while suffering some truly reprehensible behavior exhibited toward them by both students and staff. Catriona is singled out and assaulted while some cruel wishes are uttered by her attackers, and once again, the faeries oblige, this time turning Catriona into a baobhan sith, a frightening Scottish Highland creature that is part faery witch, part vampire. Absolute carnage ensues.

Earning a firm spot in the growing list of the “Good For Her” horror subgenre, Insatiable is a gore-filled exploration of revenge and the network required to stand against the oppression that threatens to diminish women’s lives and desires. A solid YA recommendation for Gaelic folklore fans with stomachs strong enough to handle the numerous—and detailed—mutilations.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath